Validation of the Abbreviated PTSD Checklist–Civilian as a Traumatic Stress Screener for Parents of Children With Cancer

Abstract

Background: Researchers and clinicians often use the six-item abbreviated Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist–Civilian (PCL-6) for screening; however, the PCL-6 has not been validated for parents of children with cancer. A valid and reliable short screener like the PCL-6 would allow bedside and/or advanced practice nurses to quickly screen parents for traumatic stress and expedite referrals for support services. Method: This study used data collected during a multisite trial examining an intervention for children with cancer and their parents. This dataset included parental self-report measures of traumatic stress (PCL-6; Impact of Events Scale-Revised [IES-R]), mood disturbance (Profile of Mood States-Short Form [POMS-SF]), and wellbeing (Index of Wellbeing [IWB]). The sample included 136 parents of children (3-8 years old) undergoing cancer treatment at four hospitals. Analysis: For construct validity, we calculated Spearman’s correlation coefficient using baseline scores of the PCL-6 with baseline scores for the IES-R, POMS-SF, and IWB. For internal consistency, we calculated Cronbach’s alpha using the scores of each of the six items of the PCL-6 for all parent/caregiver participants at baseline. Results: Results indicate good convergent construct validity, reasonable divergent construct validity, and good internal consistency.